Hollow Smiles
by OverCompulsiveNoteTaker-QAQ
Summary: Raivis is an orphan at St. Martin's orphanage. He's not like the others though...he's autistic. No one has ever wanted to adopt him, much less talk to him. It all changes when Ivan, a psychologist for the mental institute nearby, takes an interest in him. Will Raivis' life cahnge for the better, or is Ivan hiding a secret from his past that could put Raivis in danger?


Do you see what I see?

Chapter 1: Lost and Found.

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><p>A boy with beautiful locks of soft curly sandy blonde hair smiled as he stared out the window, eyes shining in hollow joy.<p>

He didn't smile like other children, his was….hollow. Anyone at the orphanage could tell you why. Anyone one could tell you why he stayed inside on the second floor on adoption day.

"He's not like us."

A boy with dark black hair and brown eyes explained to the curious parents looking up at the window "He doesn't know how to talk, he doesn't play like us, and he yells a lot and shakes."

The parents nodded with a frown, turning back and looking around for a different child to talk to.

For the little boy in the window, he knew why. He smiled though, he couldn't help his smile. It just…..happened. Just like when gibberish would come out when he tried to talk, or how he would jump excitedly and wriggle around for no reason at all. Even when he'd throw a fit and accidently hurt himself, he couldn't help it.

It hurt him to not know why he was different, but he kept that smile. If he cried, everyone got upset. He didn't want to upset them anymore, they seemed upset enough with him just being there.

But how was he to know what he was doing was wrong? It made so much sense in his mind. The flowers were colorful, so why not try to use one as a crayon? Or grass! Grass looked like a vegetable, so why not eat it? Nobody else would understand his thoughts though.

Why?

Because….

He just wasn't like them.

Or were they just not like him?

Either way, he would still be different, and he didn't like being different. They wouldn't play with him because of that, they wouldn't talk to him. Well, it's not like he could talk anyways but the effort would've been appreciated.

He's tried before, you know.

He's tried to join in on games, and sometimes they let him. Though they'd say he "Messed everything up!" just because the rules of tag didn't make sense to him, or he forgot that he wasn't supposed to tell where everyone was hiding during hide and seek. It wasn't his fault, he just couldn't understand!

It hurt him that the others were so ready to blame him for everything that went wrong in the orphanage. If a kid dropped a glass and broke it, no one would blame the kid. It was always little Raivis Galante.

Just because he was different.

He let his smile grow a bit more hollow as he watched a few of the kids leave the orphanage with their new family.

Lucky.

Raivis' attention was grabbed by a tall man entering the yard. The boy pressed his face against the window in awe at the height of the stranger, eyes wide and breath fogging up the window.

The strange man had short silver-white hair and….purple eyes just like Raivis.

Raivis hummed a soft sound as he looked at the mans odd clothing. A tan coat, light pink-ish scarf and military boots? Cool!

His grin widened as he thought of a word that the man remind him of

"Winter…Winter!"

He giggled as he drew back from the window and began to jump happily, tapping on the window "Winter! Winter! Winter!"

He didn't know the full meaning, only that when the time for what the other kids called Winter came around, a fluffy white flurry would fall from the sky and he could play in it!

The color was about the same, the mans hair and the thing from Winter.

He stopped as he saw the man had stopped and was staring up at the window, looking both surprised and curious.

Raivis looked back and put a hand on the glass and grinning "Winter!" he stated one last time.

The man gave a grin back and walked towards the orphanage building.

Raivis grinned and began to shake excitedly as he dashed into the entrance hallway of the orphanage.

He stumbled forward as he saw the man at the door "Winter!" he chimed again as he bolted forward, stumbling every and now then.

He stopped infront of the other and began jumping, tucking his knees to his chest in the air and flapping his arms happily as he grinned and laughed happily

The man now looked confused and even a bit shocked as he observed the boy.

A rapid clicking of heels came and one of the ladies who worked at the orphanage appeared "Raivis! You know you aren't supposed to leave your room!" she scolded, grabbed the child's arm and pulling him away.

Raivis gave a frown and pointed to the man "Winter!" he said, as if to defend himself.

The lady sighed and gave an apologetic look "I am so sorry for this sir! He's…not on the same wavelength." She explained nervously.

The man looked at Raivis and smiled "I understand, is it perhaps….autism?" he asked curiously

The lady gave a nod "Yes, unfortunately so." She said with a sigh.

Raivis looked from her and the man and frowned "Chirp! Chirp!" he said as he tried to pull free of the ladies grip, flailing his other arm as well.

The lady frowned "Raivis, you know I can't understand you!" she said as she put her free hand on her hip.

The man hummed "It appears he wants you to let him go." He said as he kneeled to the child's level "Chirp?" he asked back with a head tilt.

Raivis' eyes widened, had he actually been understood for once?!

The boy grinned wider than ever and nodded eagerly in response.

The lady seemed confused but hesitantly let go of the boy.

Raivis immediately began jumping and flapping his arms again as he giggled "Winter!" he kept on cheering.

The lady looked confused "Winter…?" she asked in a perplexed manner

The man chuckled "He means me, he's been calling me that for a few minutes now." He explained as he watched the boy intently.

Raivis began to tremble again in excitement and fell to the floor, kicking his legs happily with a nod "Winter!" was his only response as he smiled brightly.

The man chuckled and stood "Such an interesting child." He said before sighing "I must take my leave now, I have many things to attend to." He said with a sad smile to the lady.

The lady sighed, assuming that Raivis had frightened him some "I understand." She said with her own sad smile and nod "I hope you come by again."

The man shrugged "I might." Was his only response as he turned to leave.

Before he could even make it out the door, his hand was grabbed by a smaller one.

He turned to face Raivis with a shocked face, staring into happy violet eyes with his own deep amethyst ones.

Raivis giggled "Bye-bye Winter!" was his only response as he took the others hand and pressed the palm against his forehead, then let himself lean against it with a happy hum.

The man blinked in surprise and slowly, let a grin form on his face before he carefully moved his hand and tousled the boys hair gently.

Raivis grinned and giggled at the touch, watching as the door closed and his view of the man was cut off.

The lady sighed "Come on Raivis, it's time for you to eat lunch." She said. It was early for lunch, but she knew that Raivis didn't like eating with the other children so he always ate earlier.

She was surprised as Raivis sat down in the hallway, staring at the door "Winter." Was his simple response as he gave the wooden door his full attention.

She sighed "Raivis, look-"

"Ah, Miss Elizaveta!"

"Coming Katyusha!"

Elizaveta spared a last glance at Raivis before she went off to go help Katyusha with what she needed.

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><p>Raivis spent a good few hours staring at the door, his mind imagining adventures to keep him occupied as he waited.<p>

He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that Winter would be back. No matter what, he believed it.

The other boys he shared a room with gave him odd looks as he stared out the window and at the now shadow covered yard empty of people.

Raivis didn't care anymore though, they were always giving him odd looks like this. It was just something he was used to by this point.

He murmured "Winter…hello…" in order to practice his greeting for the next time they met. Hello was good, right? Or would "Hey" be better? Urk! He was no good with people!

He bit his lip and reached up, giving his hair a quick tug with his hand to get rid of some frustration.

He yipped as he was hit in the back lightly with a pillow and a groan of "My god, just go to sleep!" was heard from one of the other boys.

Raivis climbed into his bed on the bottom bunk, as the room had two bunk beds, one on the left side of the room and one on the right; and pulled the warm covers over him and gave a last glance at the window.

The shadows casting over the yard did not deter his bright memories as the scene of when he first saw the man replayed in his mind.

He gave a soft giggle of excitement and curled in to himself as he closed his eyes.

Wherever Winter was, he knew he'd come back.

He had a feeling…he knew that if he just believed in it enough, it would come true.

It had to.


End file.
